During the time of Moses, God established a festival to celebrate the grain harvest. The first day of the feast became known as the Day of Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-21). After Jesus ascended to heaven, God revealed a new spiritual meaning for Pentecost. On that day the promised Holy Spirit arrived, and the church of Jesus Christ was born!
While the disciples and others had been Jesus’ followers before this, there had been no “body of Christ” to which they could belong. On Pentecost all that changed. God’s Spirit baptized believers into the Lord Jesus, making them one with Him (1 Corinthians 12:13-14). Now they had a brand-new relationship with the Lord: from that point on, the Holy Spirit lived Christ’s life through them, and they abided in Jesus through His Spirit.
What a difference the Spirit’s indwelling presence made in their lives. No longer were they fearful men who ran away; nor were they people looking out for their own interests. Now they were transformed into a cohesive group who “were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common” (Acts 2:42, 44).
Our own personal “day of Pentecost” occurs at salvation, when we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and baptized into the worldwide body of Christ. The Spirit’s presence is permanently given to everyone who believes, for He is the guarantee of our salvation. What difference is the Spirit of God making in your life?
~Charles Stanley~
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